Poster: A snowHead
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I am doing a ski season this year in Les Arcs, my parents (mid 50's) are coming over for new year for a week. They are both non-skiers and struggling to find things for them to do when they are over.
Does have any suggestions to entertain them while they are over?
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Tell 'em to bring some good books
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Fishmongatti, whereabouts in Les Arcs are you? In the 2000 valley, There's snowshoeing, dog sledding, ice-grotto, ( as a 50+ myself I wouldn't recommend the tobogganing, too much like hard work... ) The Deep Natur spa in 1950 is something else, and of course both Paradiski and 1950 have their 10th birthday's this winter, so lots of outdoor evening entertainment. New year is going to be spectacular.
Someone in the other valley will have to tell you what's on over their side!
The buses between villages are regular during the day, and Bourg is a 'proper' town at the bottom of the funicular, with markets, shops and all the regular civic amenities.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I did my first season in Les Arcs and can testify that, in common with a lot of ski resorts, there's not an awful lot to keep them occupied for a week in resort. There's some walks they could go on (for instance from 1800 to Plan Peisey), but if they're not skiing then I'd suggest they're going to get bored quite quickly. And for the non-skier there's not a huge amount of stuff to do in any of the resort centres, aside from a cinema and bowling centre (and a couple of health centres in a couple of villages) its mostly ski shops, souvenir shops, cafes and bars.
Les Arcs also isn't the best resort for having pedestrian friendly lifts for them to get up to a mountain restaurant for an afternoon in the sun on the slopes, although there are a couple of options there. I would suggest they might hire a car and they could head out of resort, but even then there's not an amazing array of places for a tourist to visit. The bus system between the villages is pretty good though, so they can at least check the different Les Arcs villages out (and take the funicular down to Bourg).
But as red 27 says, maybe best to tell them to bring a lot of books and be prepared for a very chilled out week.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Thanks guys, we are staying just outside 1600, they are hiring a car for the week so were planning on heading reasonably far afield
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Annecy is about 1 hour away and well worth a visit.
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OK, lets go through a few options.
Snow shoeing. Arc adventures organise showshoeing trips from 1800 to the vallandry area and beyond. Without snow shoes there are gentle hikes throughout the resort
The a fore mentioned dog sledding from Pre st. Espirit
The swimming pool in Bourg st Maurice is good
The riverside walks in Bourg are very good,
Train to the former capital of the Savoy, Chambery (sadly the Olympic ice ring in Albertville looks very run down)
Once again arc adventures offers ice climbing and a range of other interesting activities. It is worth looking them up
The cheese factory in Bourg. This is a standing joke in our family for when the weather is so bad there are no other options. We have never actually been
Parrenponting
If it a late in the season when they are coming, then the mountain biking is starting
Ice skating
Once again depending on the conditions then it may be possible to go via ferratta in Rousel area
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Sun 27-10-13 20:20; edited 2 times in total
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Fishmongatti, Where outside 1600?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Teach 'em to ski...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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yes, why not teach them to ski? Or possibly pay somebody else to teach them. Lots of people start skiing in their 50s. But even if that's out of the question, if they are active, it sounds as though there's plenty to do - snowshoeing is great, provided they are used to hill walking and have some stout (and preferably waterproof) boots to strap them onto. If they are thinking of snowshoeing they'll get a lot less soggy with gaiters. Snowshoe half the day, snooze and read the other half - sounds perfick.
Try to find a sunny day to go to Annecy; it can be a bit dour on a dank winter's day.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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...or they may prefer to snowblade, it's very easy, far less technical. Please ensure they have really good warm clothing, New Year can be really cold. The Tourist office will issue a list of what's on, there's a cinema at 1600, and there will be guided walks etc on offer.
The last 3 years in Arc 1800 we have needed snow chains on the car at New Year so make sure they have them and know (in a hands on way) what to do with them.
If they are fearless ...I think you can still go on the bobsleigh course at La Plagne. There's a skating rink at Arc 1800. The ice grotto is a must.
I'm not sure whyArctic Roll, thinks tobogganing is hard work...???? dangerous, yes, but not hard work!
Parapenting usually involves skiing off a sheer drop, I'm not sure you can do it without skis on.
There are always NYE fireworks in the early evening in each Arc resort and some sort of entertainment put on by the tourist office, free vin chaud if you can get through the crowds, disco etc.
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snowyowl, have you tried the Rodeo Park! (their exclamation point) run off the top of the Col de la Chal?
When you're my size, you've got to have terrific core muscles just to sit in the damn things. And then when you fall out every 100 metress because it is flipping steep in places at the top... or "someone" ( yes I'm looking at you Mini roll) decides to ram you... or your tether comes off and you have to chase the sled for 200 metres... or you haven't got enough speed for the final 1/4 mile flatish run out and you try pushing with your hands, or finally give up and walk in soft snow...
Believe me, I've sweated more on individual runs on that course than whole days of off-piste with snowcrazy !
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Annecy is about 1 hour away and well worth a visit.
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That's going some. I reccon on 1 hour to get to the start of the motorway at Albertville and another 30 minutes to get to the other side of Chambery. Annecy is IMHO about 1:45 to 2 hours from Les Arcs.
Sorry bertie bassett, I forgot about driving around to La Plagne for the bobsleigh track and of course in the same vein the ice driving track at Val Thorens and I am sure there is skidoo driving after the pistes close and some pleasant walks in the Malgovert forest. I clearly wasn't thinking enough. There must be others I haven't thought about.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Arctic Roll,
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When you're my size
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Not sure if you are quite large or quite small (too many Arctic rolls?)! I'm small and reasonably light and sitting in/on a toboggan doesn't present a problem; it's the bottle which is insufficient! After an incident with a fence in Ellmau I have lost my nerve. it was just as well I was well oiled (nice and relaxed and flexible!) at the time or I would have broken my leg I reckon!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks for some of the suggestions guys, loads of stuff I wasnt aware of! Did the bobsleigh run last year, it was amazing, old man is a former pilot so might be up his street!
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